BLUES duo The Black Keys have been forced to cancel their eagerly-awaited European tour - including a gig in Manchester - due to exhaustion and an injury to their singer.

The Ohio pairing of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney were due to appear at Academy 3 on Tuesday, November 18. However, Auerbach has fractured some toes and both are suffering from exhaustion after a hectic year.

The gig has not been rescheduled yet, so ticket holders are advised to return to the point of purchase for a full refund.

Fit

"We feel it best to postpone our dates," the band said in a statement, "until we feel fit and ready to hit the road again.

"We feel rundown and therefore sound rundown. If we have the next few months, we can recuperate, and prepare for a worthwhile tour in Europe.

"We are sorry about the inconvenience but the tour will be rescheduled," the band added. "Everyone wish Dan a quick recovery."

The Black Keys released their second album Thickfreakness in May this year, building on the success of debut The Big Come Up which drew comparisons with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The White Stripes.